Colourful Multi-cultural Capital of Mauritius
West Coast Mauritius, Mauritius
Capital and main port of Mauritius, Port Louis is a fascinating multi-cultural city, home to a variety of architectural styles, a mixture of modern sky-scrapers and waterfront shopping centres. It is also festooned with a blend of old colonial buildings, Hindu Temples, Mosques, Chinese Pagodas and Christian Churches. It is also home to the World Heritage Site of Aapravasi Ghat, the only surviving remains of an immigration depot from later years of the 19th century, built to welcome labour immigrants.
Background
Port Louis was founded by the French Governor, Francois Mahé de Labourdonnais in 1735. The harbour lies sheltered in a semi-circle of mountains which are ideally suited for keen walkers. Fort Adelaide overlooks the city and was built between 1834 and 1840 by British Royal Engineers at a time when the British believed the French would attempt to regain the island. Port Louis is surrounded by a mountain range - the Port Louis Moka Range.